Apparatus for treating rubber



Aug. 9, 1932.

I. J. TURNBULL APPARATUS FOR TREATING RUBBER 2 Sheet-Sheet 1 Filed March 22, 1928 ww (u \w r INVENTOR Ira, 7. Turnbull 9, 1932- J. TURNBULL 1,871,348

APPARATUS FOR TREATING RUBBER Filed March 22, 1928 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /6 z 7 .9 I m 7 I I 7 1: 0 l8 7.5" g 19 35 r9 30 I 3/ 2'9 .120 30 1/ 28 12) [Z9 28 70 j" a v my Iv I Hr v I7 INVENTOR Ira, J Turnbu/LZ,

Patented Aug. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IRA J'- TURNBULL, 018 NEW HAVEN; CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T MORGAN AND WEIGHT,

0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN APPARATUS FOR TREATING RUBBER Application filed March 22, 1928. Serial No. 263,778.

This invention relates to apparatus for cooling and coating plastic material such as rubber stock after it is taken from a mill and before being stored or plled.

The object of the invention 1s to provide means for treating rubber slabs or stock with a suitable coating solution to prevent sticking or adhesion between ad acent layers, which is likely to occur when the slabs are stacked one upon another for storagepr to await further operations. Another ob]ec t 1s to cool the stock to prevent premature curing. The cooling and coating process 1s rendered more expeditious than practiced heretofore and there is consequently a reduction 1n the manual labor required. Also, more uniform conditions for the stock are maintained, dust is eliminated at the coating operation and at succeeding operations, and there is a saying in cost of material due to reductlon 1n wastage.

One practical embodiment of the invention includes'a plurality of cabinets or lnclosures each having supports upon which the rubber stock may be hung or folded, a door being provided in a wall of each cabinet to permlt easy access to the supports for placement or removal of the stock. After the stock is in position within the cabinets, the doors are closed and a suitable cooling and coating solution, such as a mixture of soapstone and water, is sprayed thereon preferably by means of a series of nozzles. The nozzles may be movable and controlled by an individual handle operable from the outside of each cabinet in a manner to carry the spray back and forth across the stock. This spraying operation effects a coating of the solution over all surfaces of the stock and at the same time causes cooling thereof. The excess liquid drips ofl:'

and the remaining liquid evaporates from the stock, leaving a non-adhesive coating on the surfaces thereof.

The cooling and spraying liquid is preferably pumped through a header or manifold pipe from a supply tank and reaches each cabinet through a branch connection having an individual valve for regulating or cutting off the flow of liquid to the nozzles.

Drainage from the cabinets is returned to generally the supply tank which is equipped with an agitator for keeping the liquid constantly stirred so as to prevent precipitation of the insoluble ingredients. The apparatus further includes means for freeing the spraying system of entrained air and to enable the connections to be flushed occasionally in order to remove foam or sediment that may accumulate. Other features and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of an installation of spraying cabinets and the associated liquid supply system;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the spraying cabinets with a portion broken away to disclose the interior.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the invention, the reference character 10 indicates a cabinet or spraying unit which includes side walls 11, a rear wall 12 and a vertically slidable door 13 which may be suspended by means of eyes 14 upon a pair of cords 15 whichrun over pulleys 16 and 17 at the top of the cabinet to eyes 18 of counter-balancing weights 19, the latter being arranged to rise or fall at the rear of the cabinet 10. The cabinet preferably includes uprights or corner irons 20, and top and bottom cross-members 21 and 22 respectively, forming a framework upon which the various parts of the cabinet are supported. The cabinet 10 provides an inclosure for a rack 23 which includes a row of pegs or supports 24 upon which may be hung slabs or pieces of rubber stock R to be treated with a cooling and coating solution in order to render the slabs non-adhesive and thereby prevent adjacent layers from sticking together during on handling or when subsequently piled one upon another for storage or transportation, the liquid being effective to reduce the temperature of the slabs and thereby preserve them in a plastic state. 96

Prior to placing the slabs upon the pegs 24, the door 13 is lifted by means of a handle 13' to'the position indicated by dot and dash lines 25 in Fig. 2, which permits easy access to the interior of the cabinet 10. The door 100 13 is lowered after the slabs have been placed upon the pegs and the slabs are then ready for s ra and coohng.

Tlld sgiraying devices preferably include a series of fan shaped nozzles 26 carried by a horizontal overhead pipe 27 which is connect ed by cross pipes or tubes 28 to a second horizontal pipe 29 mounted adjacentits ends in journals 30 fastened upon cross braces or supports 31 which are secured to the uprights 20 of the cabinet 10. A handle 32located outside of the cabinet 10 is secured to the pipe 29 and is operable to rock said pipe about its horizontal axis through a sufiicient angle to impart a sweeping or oscillating motion to the nozzles in a direction transversely across the row of rubber slabs R. The cooling and coating liquid, usually a mixture of soapstone and water, is lead from a source of supply, to be described later, through a supply pipe 33 then through a pair of flexible connections 34 and then to the rockable pipe 29, the supply pipe 33 being provided with a control valve 35. When the valve 35 is opened to admit the liquid to the sprayin cabinet 10, the liquid ames downward through supply pipe 33, exible connections 34, the rockable pipe 29, cross pipes or tubes 28 and then into the nozzle carrying pipe 27 which distributes the liquid to the nozzles 26. The nozzles 26 are preferably shaped so that the liquid issues therefrom in the form of fan-sha d sprays, the outer. edges of the sprays pre erably overlapping one another so that the combined spray reaches the slabs R in a manner to effect uniform distribution of the liquid over the surfaces thereof. During this spraying operation the handle 32in moving the nozzles back and forth across the slabs R causes the spray to reach all parts of the slabs, some of the spray being deflected against the rear wall 12 and the door 13 and finding its way between the folds of each slab, thereby thoroughly coating their under surfaces. Upon completion of the spraying operation, the door 13 is elevated and the slabs are withdrawn from the pegs 24. The liquid dries quickly upon the slabs due to the heat of the latter, andany excess drains into a drip-pan 36, then through a screen 37 and into a drain pipe 38 therebeneath.

A whole battery of the cabinets 10 may be placed in a row on the floor 39 of a building, as indicated in Fig. 1, each of the cabinets being capable of holding the capacity of a mill with which it is associated. The spraying liquid is first prepared in a mixing tank 40- conveniently supported on a stand 41 resting upon the lower floor 42. The liquid generally comprises water and powdered soapstone which is introduced into the tank 40 and subjected to the action of an agitator 43 whereby to thoroughly mix the solution. The agitator 43 may be in the form of a roarms 44 secured to a vertical shaft 45 which is driven through the medium of gearing 46, a belt drive 47 and a counter shaft 48 which is in turn driven by a motor. 49 through the medium of a belt 50. After the spraying solution has been thoroughly mixed in the tank 40, it is withdrawn therefrom through a valve 51- and introduced into a supply tank 52 which is also equi ped with an agitator designated 53 having blades 54secured to a driving shaft 55 which is driven through bevel gears 56 by a belt drive 57 also 09- erated by the counter shaft 48 of the motor 49. A feed pipe 58 is connected to the bottom 59 of the supply tank 52 and a pump 60 is arranged to pump the spraying liquid from said tank 52 through the feed pipe 58 and then into a supply main 61 which preferably branches into a header 62 from which the supply pipes 33 of each cabinet 10 are connected. The cabinets 10 may be all employed at the same time or operated individually by obvious use of the shut off valves 35. In order to allow the spraying liquid to flow freely to the pump and to allow the escape of any entrained air that may accumulate in the feed pipe 58 and probably cause fluctuations in the pressure main 61, there is provided a stand-pipe 63 which preferably rises vertically from the feed pipe 58 to a suitable level,

of the. coils being connected to a water supply pipe 65 controlled through a valve 66 and the other end of the coils connected to a drain pipe 67 adapted to clear the tank 52 whenever required. For further assisting in ridding the pipe 58 of entrained air, there is provided a plurality of connections or branch pipes 68, each having a controlling valve 69. These branch pipes 68 are all connected together below the valves 69, by a manifold 70, and communicate with the top of the supply tank 52 by means of a pipe-line 71, so that any foam or air may rise through the branch pipes 68, and. find its way through the pipeline 71. and thence to the tank 52. The branch pipes 68 are also connected together above the valves 69 by a manifold 72 which is in turn connected through a pipe 73 to the water supply pipe 65. This enables the branch connections 68 and the feed pipe 58 to be flushed occasionally to remove excessive foam or sediment that may accumulate.

During the spraying operation the excess c3 tating paddle having oppositely directed by the coils 64 and agitated by the blades 54.

In this way the spraying liquid is constantly cooled and mixed durin its progress throu the spraying system. 11 order to ad ust t e degree of pressure of the spraymg liquid the header 62 and the return pipes 74 are preferably connected together by a by-pass 75, a valve 76 being inter osed to regulate the flow of the liquid-throng the by -pass 75. A pressure gauge 77 may be provided in the supply main 61, and the pump 60 may be driven in any suitable manner such as by a motor 7 8.

While the control valves 35 may be of any satisfactory kind they are preferably of the quick-opening and closing type with means for conveniently operating them from the same side of the cabinets as the handles 32. Also the valves 35 may be located as close as practicable to the supply header 62 1n order to reduce the tendency for precipltation from the solution to clog the supply pipes 33 above the Valves 35. V

In order to prevent objectionable dripping of the spraying solution from the nozzles 26 and the associated supply piping onto the slabs, for instance during removal of the sprayed slabs R or placement of a new row thereof on the pegs 24, means are provided for releasably holding the handle 32 in a rearwardly swung position so that the parts may drain into a trough 79 preferably attached to the rear wall 12. One suitable form of latch comprises a substantially hook-shaped element 80 adapted to slide into or out of holding relation with the handle 32 as will be readily understood by a consideration of Fig. 2. Obviously other forms may be used.

In practical use of the above described apparatus there is generally installed in a locality conveniently visible to the operators of the cabinets a timing device by means of which they may predetermine the duration of the spraying cycle and shut ofl the liquid at such point that there will be suflicient heat remaining in the slabbed material R to evaporate any liquid which has not drained from the surfaces, and thus insure that the stock when removed from the cabinets will be in dry condition.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for cooling and spraying rubber stock, including in combination, a cabinet having rear and side walls, a door at the front of the cabinet, a rack extending longitudinally within the cabinet and behind the door, the rack being arranged to receive a plurality of rubber slabs, and means for spraying the enclosed slabs, said means being in the form of a rockable pipe extending longitudinally of the cabinet connected to said pipe on the outside of the cabinet, a second pipe laterally spaced from the rockable pipe, connecting tubes between the two pipes, said second pipe carrying a and above the slabs, a handle- 2. An apparatus for spraying and cooling rubber stock, including in combination, a plurality of spraying units adapted to receive the stock, a source of spraying and cooling liquid, liquid supply pipes communicating with the spraying units, means for continuously agitating and cooling said liquid, means for feeding said liquid under pressure to the supply pipes, means for adjusting the liquid pressure within said pipes, and means for re turning drainage liquid from said units to said source.

3. An apparatus for spraying and cooling rubber stock, including in combination, a plurality of spraying units adapted to receive the stock, a supply tank containing spraying and cooling liquid, a supply main connected to said tank, supply pipes communicating from said supply main to each spraying unit, a control valve for each unit, a pump for feeding fluid from said tank to the supply main under pressure, means for adjusting the degree of pressure in said main, means for returning drainage liquid from said units to said supply tank, and means for causing agitation of the spraying liquid as it is pumped from and returned to said supply tank.

4. An. apparatus for spraying and cooling rubber stock, including in combination, a plurality of spraying units adapted to receive the stock, a supply tank arranged, to contain a spraying and cooling liquid, a mixing tank adapted to prepare and deliver said liquid to the supply tank, a supply main, supply pipes and valves connecting said main to the spraying units, a pump arranged to draw said liquid from the tank and feed it under pressure to said main, means for freeindividually ing said liquid of entrained air, means for adfore reaching said'supply main, pipes for returning drainage liquid from said spraying units to said supply tank, a'series of liquid cooling devices associated with the supplly tank, and means for agitating said liqsui rubber stock, including in combination, a plurality of spraying units adapted to receive the stock, a source of spraying and cooling liquid, liquid supply pipes communicating with the spraying units, means for feeding said liquid under pressure to the supply pipes, means for venting and flushing a portion of said supply pipes, and means for returning drainage liquids from said units to. said source.

7. An apparatus for spraying and cooling rubber stock, including in combination, a plurality of spraying units adapted to receive the stoc a source of spraying and cooling liquid, liquid supply pipes communicating with the spraying units and said source, pressure feeding means for said liquid inserted in said supply pipes adjacent said source, and means for venting and flushing that portion of said supply pipes between said source andsaid pressure feedin means.

8.- An apparatus or spraying and cooling rubber stock, including in combination, a plurality of spraying units adapted to receive the stock, a source of spraying and cooling liquid, liquid supply pipes communicating with the spraying units, means for returning drainage liquid from said units to said source, and means for adjustin the liquid pressure within said pipes, sai pressure adjusting means comprising a valved passageway connecting said supply pipes with said drainage returning means. i p

Signed at New Haven, county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, this 16th day of March, 1928.

IRA J. TURNBULLL An apparatus for spraying and cooling 

